Penthouse And Pavement

It was forgotten for a reason. Such a pure example of a list, barely more than a one hit wonder band and the one hit isn’t even on this album

It was ok. Good lyrics though.

One reviewer brought up a good point: this album didn't do well on the charts, and wasn't received well by any critics other than a couple UK-only publications, so why the fuck is it on this list? Synth-pop on its best day is just OK, and this is not one of those days. This isn't anything groundbreaking in the genre or well-loved. The opening track is kinda interesting, but all songs after that were varying degrees of bad. It's over-mixed, dense, and noisy in a grating way. This didn't deserve a place on a list like this, the author sucks and is a bit of a dumbass. Low 2/5

630/1001 2026.06.05 🌕🌗🌑🌑🌑

*1981. English synth pop. *This sounds bizarrely aged (like I would've guessed 70s, not 1981) - kind of disco-y like the B-52s but with some electronica. *(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang is the only song I know. It's fine. *I'm not a fan of the B-52s or electronica. This was fine at only 38 mins, but I'd never revisit. RATING - 6/10

Another day, another album I've never heard of from an artist I've also never heard of. Going by the album cover and year of release, there's only two things that this album could be. Either a synthpop album or a punk offering. Honestly, I have no fucking clue. This album cover invokes the image of that one 80s synthpop album which consists of five well-dressed guys laying on the beach. What was that album again? Oh, yeah. "Pelican West" by Haircut One Hundred. Apparently that album is new wave and sophisti-pop, though I've always associated their sound with synthpop. Anyways, this illustration is too classy to be punk, but a little too early to be synthpop. Fuck it - I'm hedging my bets on synthpop anyways. Here goes. Oh, hey. I was right on the money. Feels good to relish in my victories every now and then. Anyways, this album was some quirked up Eurovisioncore. Probably the Eurovisioniest album on the entire list. I didn't mind it for the most part. The professional, corporate image redeems how stiff, stale and dated much of the music is. The funky bass guitars are kind of doing the heavy lifting as far as my actual enjoyment of this album is concerned, however. The very second that they disappear from this album is the moment where my attention span goes out the window. Some of the other performances on this album were also decent. Being one of my favourite guilty pleasure instruments, I'll never object to some good cowbell action in my music. There's also a commendable level of variety in the lively, vibrant synths which populate the album. This especially comes in handy during the latter half of the album, which features the more experimental and challenging sounds. Overall, my opinion of this album is mild-to-negative. From the songwriting to the instrumentation, this album gets just enough right to hold my attention, though there is an emptiness which hangs over much of this music. Book time. Two of the members from this band are Human League defectors, who left the band at the start of the 80s over creative differences. Before they formed Heaven 17, however, they created the British Electric Foundation, which was a strange band and production company that had a gimmicky, corporate image. The BEF logo at the bottom of this cover as well as the general style of this album is a homage and spinoff to said project. The Heaven 17 band name was derived from the name of a pop group in A Clockwork Orange. "Fascist Groove Thang" was acclaimed by critics in addition to receiving a lot of play in nightclubs. The single was banned by the BBC for insinuating that Reagan was a fascist, which obviously inhibited its success on the charts. This album was recorded alongside The Human League's "Dare!" in the exact same studio. Parodies the rise of transnational corporations. Side A of the album is accessible and danceable, whereas side B is more avant-garde and experimental. Wikipedia says this album was generally well-received by critics and had modest chart success, notably peaking at No. 14 in the UK and reaching similar positions in Finland and Sweden. This band certainly has a deep lore, though I don't think it's translated into much of a legacy or creative influence. Heaven 17 also appear to have tanked in the critic ratings and chart success following the release of the fourth album - a blunder from which they never recovered. Yeah. There's probably a better, more timeless synthpop album which didn't make it onto this list and could really use the spot. While I admittedly haven't listened to it and the music appears to have deviated from their established synth-pop sound, "The Seeds of Love" by Tears for Fears looks to be a respectable replacement. Guess that decides it. In place of this album, I humbly submit "The Seeds of Love" by Tears for Fears for inclusion on the list.

It’s basically outsider music made by non-outsiders. Which can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it it’s a tough listen at times. But it’s definitely not the worst thing I’ve ever heard.

Some lyrical moments I really liked but the actual music seemed set on pissing me off. There was a moment in Let's All Make A Bomb where all the squeaking and whistling felt like they were about to transition into HSM's hit song Get'cha Head In The Game. Love that the original vinyl had a locked groove to repeat "for a very long time" indefinitely but on spotify it just makes it feel like just an annoying choice. Favourite song: Song With No Name Least: Geisha Boys and Temple Girls

Extremely repetitive in both sound and lyrics, I appreciate the intent though. It’s just forgettable in a genre that usually delivers much more excitement. The only song that stood out to me was the final track, ‘We’re Going to Live for a Very Long time’.

Synth is not my jam

Its like they picked all the wrong presets

Didn't do much for me, and the unnecessarily repetitive and annoying last 30 seconds definitely brings it down to a 2.

'Reagan's president elect / Fascist God in motion.' The opening track, far & away the best here, is still not an all-time great, an anthemic response to fascist tendencies that's neither a vigorous takedown nor a funky, clarifying clap back. The rest is essentially faux soul, a whole lotta of clunkiness, & a bad take on 80s synth-pop that also feels like a mediocre reflection of the turnings & burnings of the emerging hip-hop scene. 'It's all that I can give to be a fugitive.' Incoherence like this evinces the dry & faceless qualities of the album, which is never interesting & approaches terrible on songs like 'Geisha Boys and Temple Girls.' The Mad Men who populate the cover are the real artists here & offer no ironic gesture, i.e., this is beige office music.

Would I listen again: no Very 80s, can’t really remember much of it.

Another 80s LP. That's not for me

This is an overall decent album, not too bad. I like the business people album artwork, which probably has some meaning, but I didn't look it up, so I'll just say that it's decent.

A little too 80s for me. The repetition in the last song was uncalled for

This is what happens when the gifted high school glee club gets a synthesizer. Sounds impressive for about 20 seconds (hopefully long enough to keep up their G.PA.) but eventually finds the music tedious and repetitive.

As much as I want to praise a band whose songs goes hard enough against Reagan than BBC gets cold feet about playing them, there just isn't much else here.

Thin 80's production, basic synths and a drum machines, good bass lines though. No great songs here, had stronger tracks on later albums.

Thin, weirdly manufactured sound. Not my style at all. I’m not sure if it’s even a good example of this genre.

Very of it's time. Loses the energy after the 2 first tracks and is not very memorable.

I appreciate “We Don’t Need this Fascist Groove Thang” for its sadly evergreen relevance, even though the lyrics reference the dawn of the Reagan ‘80s. I also like a synth-forward sound. But these songs do not rise above the sum of their parts, a rather odd mash of new wave with funk and gospel-y guest vocals. I wish the songs were better and tighter.

Low end 80s synthesizer music

1.8/5 There wasn't anything bad about this album, it just wasn't really interesting. Run of the mill 80s synth pop that I've never really been a big fan of.

80’s unremarkable.

The music feels maybe a little ahead of its time, but not particularly interesting or exciting. And vocally and lyrically it’s a lot of shouting and nonsense trying to make political points but a little too on the nose. Feels quaint given everything going on now to hear Reagan being referred to as a fascist. Maybe learn some subtlety.

I remember this album. It was pioneering but it’s not great

(2.75)

Is this speed New Wave? So many lazers.

What a strange album. Going to need to read why this exists.

Feels like it should be an American album as a response to yuppie and Reagan-era cultures. But I'm surprised to see it's yet another middling English album. Kind of interesting, but very forgettable.

Meh

What.

Good Lord this has aged poorly. Not that I was ever a Heaven 17 fanboy but the lyrics and this style of electronica makes me want to play Atari pacman and drink RC Cola.

Not for me. I made it through, but the deeper I got into it the more I started questioning my life choices.

I could see having a great time dancing to this in an 80s club if that’s your scene. Some very catchy beats but it gets very repetitive.

Simple, repetitive, and borderline annoying. Being generous, It seemed like each track had a kernel of something good that never developed further. It’s hard to see why it was included in this list. 2.5

Ideal para personas que gusten principalmente del Synth Pop Probablemente en ese nicho posean bastante notoriedad Se ve que igual rasgan otros géneros en su ejecución No pude destacar algo en particular desde mi perspectiva

Niet mijn muziek

Not my thing. the title song was great--soulful bassline, great vocals and all-around groove. But the rest of it was electronic, industrial, or both. As soulless as the men featured on the album cover. Does that mean it achieved its goal? Sure. Doesn't mean I liked it. 2 stars.

Nothing offensive here. Obviously early electro, the songs drag on a bit uninspiredly.

well, this is categorically bad or anything, but I didn't enjoy it at all. Samey, bland and the vocals aren't for me. I remember "Temptation" on the radio and I never particularly liked it so I never bothered to listen to any of the other material.

Nah

Early 80's synth wave Talking Headsish. Didn't get me super excited.

Not for me

Very little about this really excited me, don't think I'll be coming back to it.

The opener is kinda cooking. Some catchy choruses but some of the more experimental verses didn't really hit for me. Decline Of The West was a nice instrumental that reminded me of some chiptune VG soundtracks like Celeste. Overall had a couple decent moments but no need to ever revisit.

Hört sich an wie Musik von ITlern, die elektronische Onstrumente cool fanden

Decent

This reminds me of ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ Depeche Mode. Early 80’s electronic music. It’s ok. Not sure what makes this list worthy. Kind of repetitive and annoying. (2)

They were very innovative at the time, paving the way for what ultimately became more successful acts after them. I don't think this is their best work, there was better to come. It's very much of its time, you could set your clock to it. Toe-tapping synth-pop dripping in 80s nostalgia.

Between a 2 and a 3

punmemorable and punmemorable by hunmemorable 1unmemorable

Started out fun and unique but then quickly got repetitive and obnoxious and I found myself looking at the clock as the album continued. Likes: Fascist Groove Thang, Penthouse and Pavement

#75/1001 🇬🇧 Synthpop made in Sheffield. Whilst this is a genre and period that i generally like but can't see myself revisiting. It wasn't dreadful but neither was it that memorable either. Best tracks: Facist Groove Thing, Penthouses and Pavements.

Firstly, one of the great cover artworks of all time. Some of the more accessible poppy tracks to me sounded like they were a big influence on early Wham!. I liked some of the tracks but there wasn’t enough strong hooks or ear worms, one of those albums that you need to listen to again as afterward you forget most of it even if you quite enjoyed parts of it, the problem is that its not good enough for me to want to listen to it again. I would definitely frame the front cover and hand it on my wall though. 2.4

A little second wave ska mixed in with the usual synth pop.

Like so many synth-pop bands from the early 80s, Heaven 17 got old fast. Now their songs are both unsophisticated and overly preachy.

Very early 80s mechanical electro-synthpop. It's a compact album from start to finish but the production ruins it for me which sounds so dated now. Early 80s were the strangest years in pop music that's for sure.

Temu dépêche mode 2.3

90% of the 80s tropes. 25% worth listening to.

Really forgettable. No idea why this is here.

I had a really hard time with this. Very unremarkable. I don't know why this is here. The 1980s were a strange time.

Mmh

80er Synthie-Pop

We need some bangers…

With tracks like 'Geisha Boys and Temple Girls' and the absurd 'Height of the Fighting', this album is the embodiment of early 80's absolute pretentious pop shite. Just listen to 'Height of the fighting' and tell me I'm wrong!

11/03/2026 Couldn't really get into this album, I found it quite boring. Spotify listeners: 321.5k

Very early alternative. Also hard to tell when one song ends and another begins. A couple of songs reminded me of The Human League.

Fascist Groove Thang is really fun, but otherwise I found this to be plain decent synthpop.

Bass playing is nuts, best part of the record by far. This was not that great, the album cover is far more interesting than the music, unfortunately. Props to them for clocking Reagan as a piece of shit so early, and they are definitely pretty based in their political lyrics and speaking out again fascism. But, the songs themselves really suck. Shame.

Okay. Not very memorable for me.

Not what I was expecting. The name always had me picturing MOR soft rock but this is anything but. White Funky, 80's electronic pop tunes are here though they vary wildly in quality. This would have been a great EP. Best Tracks: (We Don't Need This) Facist Groove Thang; Penthouse and Pavement; The Height of the Fighting

only ever heard their 2 big singles "Temptation" and "Come Live with Me" which were decent at the time, but this is nowhere near as good as other synth pop acts that were around at the time. Human League and Depeche Mode to name a couple

Extra point for fascist groove thang but the rest is meh

44/100. In the end, there are simply a lot of other 80s synthpop albums I would reach for before putting this on again. It's just forgettable in a genre that usually delivers much more excitement.

Not my thing

This wasn't awful but was far from decent. All the electronic albums on this list are such a snooze.

Very British but not in a good way. It’s fine I guess.

I lived through the synth pop era. Some are better than others. This was ok

Quintessential 80’s Pop but with a little more substance lyrically (politically).

I think the author skews a bit towards some of the lesser known British acts.

Number 545: This marks my halfway point on the 1089 albums here (or to be a stickler, I’ve just surpassed halfway). How unceremonious. Music, in large part, is meant for ceremony, yet on all the ‘big’ days, I’ve been assigned stinkers. I’ll never forgive them for giving me Napalm Death on my wedding day, although that is kind of funny in retrospect. I’ve gotten very dull, sleepy albums on New Years. I’ve gotten objectively the worst albums of all time on my birthday. Now, here we are, halfway through the journey, and as I’m playing this album from a band I’ve never heard of, the only thought I have is, was this band playing a joke? This music is so ironic, it’s practically unlistenable at points. I’m sure when this came out, a small crew of twenty-somethings in the UK who thought they were brilliant praised the shit out of this before forgetting about it forever only two years later. What does make me suspect design from the generator though is that the first track is all about fascism and how history inevitably repeats itself (gets a whole star for taking on heavy themes) and just yesterday, I had to sit through a long winded, self-glorifying state of the union address from one Donald J. Trump. He declared that he thought he deserved a metal of honor and would bestow one upon himself if he could, as he was giving one to a one hundred year old WW2 vet, thus trying to place himself on the honeree’s level. Yeah, I feel like someone at the generator watched that too and made a selection for this morning.

Despite this album claiming to be 38 minutes it felt like it took me years to get through. Must boring, uninspired music I've heard in a while Low 2

This list has some good 1980s music that stand the test of time. This album isn't one of them. I find it all a bit too typical

Some of this was catchy, but kind of got annoying afterwhile.

No thank you. This process has cleared me of my instant dislike of heavily 80's english pop music and i can see the quality in some of it now, but this reminded me if all the reasons i wasnt a fan originally. Synths were great but calm down. This isnt a art school concept album and you need to actually write tunes rather than fuck around looking all trendy and cool. The opener is a great example of how this could have been good, but the drop off after that track makes Niagra Falls look like my morning piss in comparison.

Not all the tracks were available on Spotify so I had to supplement with Youtube videos. This album feels like proto-Chumbawumba, and "Geisha Boys" and like a precursor to a much more refined "West End Girls." It feels like something out of an art school conceptualist project, with the vocals detached from the music, nothing here blends well. I don't like to throw around the word "pretentious" and I won't call this effort that, but there's a common thread in here that feels performative.... or something. The basslines are great though, in the title track and in "Play to Win". The second, particularly (and purposely) synth-driven half of the album, though just doesn't do a thing for me at all. The plinky, repetitive "We're Going to Live For a Very Long Time" does nothing to shake the art school manifesto. Perhaps graciously, the album ends here. I just can't get into this overall, though. A firm 2+ but not enough for a 2.5 to round up. I wouldn't be listening to this much at all. I recognize and reward the influence the album had. But that alone does not save it.

2.4 stars

This euro-pop kind of stuff never appealed to me. This didn't help. 3/10

Political synth pop pioneers. I find it too much synth and not enough pop.

doodle...doodle What qualifies this album for this list? 1,5

This is another entry as to why this album was on the list. I get it's 1001 Albums you NEED to hear, but there has to be an explanation why. Maybe the book uncovers that? I dunno. Anyway, this is very early synth-pop and you can hear it. Maybe it;s on because it defined the genre? I dunno. All I know is I could not get through most of this album. The synths and drums were good at points and caught my attention, but the sum was not greater than its parts.

If someone told me I should listen to this band and described them as devo, prince, and Bowie I would be excited. But I was only excited when it finally ended.

Probably deserves a higher rating, but I know nothing about the genre except I don't really enjoy it. Based on the number of bands associated with Heaven 17 I imagine they're groundbreaking in some way. Good for them.

Started fine but just got a bit boring. Not my thing

At first I was into it but the longer it went on the more groan-worthy it became. This is how I imagine new wave/synth pop sounds to people who hate the genre. Favorite track: (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang

Nah. I ain’t about it.

I enjoyed the music, but found it a bit boring. The better music was the things that were randomly chosen by spotify after to match the style.

I like Fascist Groove Thang, but the rest is a little ordinary, and a bit dated sounding.

Ah! The early 80’s! Just before my teenage years and I wasn’t cool! So while I knew about Heaven 17 and by association Human League I only knew them by their singles so I was quite excited to see an album from this time. Oh my, it’s a bit dated isn’t it. Haha It was ok and seemed to get a little better the more I listened but it is definitely of its time.

Synth pop is not my thing really.

Starts terrible but has a couple of good tracks later on but still a bit dissatisfying

180/1089 EXTREMELY 80s and very repetitive in both sound and lyric. appreciate the intent though The only song that stood out to me was the final track, We’re Going to Live for a Very Long Time. Otherwise it was just OK and fine as background music 39/100

fine but forgettable. not my favorite of early 80s/new wave music but still fun

It was ok. Nothing really grabbed me, but it wasn't bad.

I like Heaven 17, but this is not their best album. The excessive use of those goofy 80s drum sounds (fake hand claps, bongos, whistles, etc.) was unbearable at times. Liked Songs Added: (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang

This is pretty naff. The synth sounds are very lame sounding, they have the child's synth feel to them rather than the fuller sound I prefer. The slap bass is intrusive and annoying, the lyrics sound like they're trying really hard to be serious but the music removes the seriousness for me, then there are the lines they shoehorn into parts where they don't really fit. It doesn't fill me with anything really. Well, some bits fill me with annoyance. The synth whistle breakdown in bomb for example. Just no. But I mean, It didn't like anger me, it was just really rubbish. Could have done without this one.

-early 80s okay -fine no standouts shocker -another boring 80s album

Everyone knows these guys for 'Temptation' but there's nothing here close to that. They are writing protest songs with a tinny synthesiser and bass grooves, but the result is rather weak piss. The opener appears to accuse Ronald Reagan of being a 'fascist' and there are similar brave contrarian takes against Thatcher et al throughout this. He's still like this now, looking at his Twitter, which is full of 'End Israeli Apartheid' garbage. Some people never grow up. So nah, I like 80s electronica/new wave as much as anybody, but ABC, OMD, Human League this ain't.

This features probably the strangest sounding synthesizers I've ever heard. That was all I could think of throughout, never mind the oddball lyrics and song construction. Kind of charming as a relic of the 80's sound I guess.

Enough of the generic British new wave.

Not in my wheelhouse.

For the first 2 minutes of this album I thought it was a hidden gem, and somehow this band I had never heard of had created the Prodigy's sound 13 years before them. Then the vocals started and so did the cringe. Track 2 was just as cringey. Then the realization set in that it was a studio album made to sound like a live album, and there was no coming back from that.

Let there be no doubt about the decade this was released, because Penthouse and Pavement practically screams "1980s!" from start to finish. There's nothing wrong with that, and I appreciated the Reagan dig (which apparently got "Fascist Groove Thang" banned by the BBC). This is an album I appreciate more than I enjoy—good for Heaven 17 for bringing biting commentary to the era's bleeding edge of electronic pop, but it's not something I'll return to.

Now is the time on Sprockets vhen ve dance! Also, touch my monkey.

Enjoyable enough, painfully 80s, pretty boring IMO. Sorry Heaven17 fans...

Underwhelming - I feel like there were better choices than this.

Better than I thought; still, it's neither super influential or super popular . Pretty niche and not in a catchy good way. Didn't hate it.

Ist mir zu weirder Elektropop.....

Gähn

“Here comes the daylight, here comes my job Uptown in the penthouse or downtown with the mob” It was going so well for the first three tracks. I did not have high hopes for Heaven 17. Whenever I have heard them spoken about it was usually in the context of them being from my home city. Even then this was usually uttered with a hint of embarrassment. In terms of their music I was only really familiar with “Temptation” which admittedly is pretty catchy. I certainly wasn’t expecting to hear such effective busy funky bass lines and to actually really enjoy the music. The first three songs have such a groove to them and are really enjoyable danceable tunes. I was starting to think of the people I could recommend the album to and even wrote in my initial notes that Heaven 17 felt at times like Sheffield’s answer to The Talking Heads. Then the bubble burst in truly disappointing fashion. The bass guitar I had loved up to that point disappeared completely and was not to reappear at any point. It was replaced by increasingly cheesy grating synths and the rest of the album was 80s synth pop that I wouldn’t ordinarily touch with a barge pole. The mild embarrassment of this lot being from Sheffield sadly makes complete sense now.

Uninspiring. And when it comes to rating this as an album, the remastered digital release I listened to is padded out with several versions of every song, diluting the experience further. Could've left that to a special edition or something.

Not another generic '80s synthpop album. The opening track, "Fascist Groove Thing", is catchy. I can't say the same for the other songs. Heaven 17's synthwork shines, and it should've been the focus. At least Heaven 17 condemns fascism. 2 stars for "Penthouse and Pavement".

This is solidly … fine … but I will stick to Duran Duran for my 80s synth pop needs.

A strange blend of electro disco new wave that only the 80s can produce. Got tiring to listen through after a couple of tracks.

just another 80ies British synthie-pop album

This list seems to love 90 minute albums by bands that seem like they only made 90 minutes of music. I could take this for 45 but a little British synth pop goes a long way for me. Pretty campy and overly earnest at times, but in what’s probably becoming my signature line: there is worse music to put on while you work a job at your computer.

I could take it or leave it. Can't say I'm much of a New Wave type of guy but this wasn't horrible. top 2: Penthouse and Pavement and Play to Win 2.55/5

não é mto meu estilo de música, mto experimental pro meu gosto

2/5

Another stray thoughts review: - this needed two listens as I had no idea what I thought about it after the first listen - during (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thing at one point the bass sounded like Uptown Funk and I spent ages trying to work out why - Let's All Make A Bomb has a bit in it that sounds like they rounded up a load of Premier League refs and got them to whistle along - everything is too repetitive and too long (you could fix the latter by fixing the former) - The Height Of The Fighting is bloody weird: HEAT! WAR! SWEAT! LAW! - the bleepy bloopy synths often sound like they're playing a different song to the one everyone else is playing - the bass player is *great* - I really like the vocals. I cannot in any way justify that statement - I actually liked We're Going To Live For A Very Long Time a lot until the point they repeated the title 1 billion tomes during the fade out. This is a 2.5 for me. I objectively think I should probably hate it, but I don't. I'm rounding down to 2, but I really did consider rounding up instead. 2/5

We don't need this crappy music thang One nice thing I'll say about New Wave as a genre: they really know how to rip on the bass. That shit is slapping. The guitar has some nice riffs, but the rest of it is questionable at best. Quality singing is just a really important thing to me, and New Wave, in general, does not care if you can actually sing or not, but it is just so hard for me to listen to. It ends up ruining the album quite a bit for me. Favorite Song(s): Play to Win

No amount of immersion therapy can make me like new wave. Bleh. Even within the genre it sounds pretty generic. 1.9

If this had been presented as AI slop I would have believed it.

2,5

Ew. Why, exactly? It's so synthetic, and boring.

not good

Okay, I gave it two listens, and I was enriched by the broadening of new music. However, this kind of sonic quality, this kind of production does not appeal to me...I would even say I have an almost physical aversion to it. I did my best to hear past that and listen to the songs and the message and I think I got something from it. Trying to place it in context helped but I think that's the main thing I'm missing. Yeah geez it's just so clean and "80s" hahaha.

first 2 songs were interesting, rest were boring

Distinctive and some good tracks but not enough variation for me to like it, short though so it does have that going for it.

Not the best of 80s synth pop.

Poo

I’m glad I listened, nothing amazing but takes me back to the 80s. It’s just missing something extra to make it really good.

this unfortunately did nothing for me

this album showed me first-hand how white boys appropriated the word groove for their shite music...I was expecting something actually groovy

80s annunciation that is occasionally set to 70s groove

The lyrics are clearly the album’s strongest point, with sarcasm and social commentary being the core of what they wanted to express. Now, if you ask me whether I liked the album, the answer is no. I hated every single second of the synth.

I generally like 80s music, but this felt veryyyy produced and synthy. I felt like I got the point by the 3rd song and it just kept going and going

See why this is on here but definitely of it’s time

Thought I liked this at the start but the more it went on the more annoying it got 2*

This far into the project and I just don’t know anymore. Liked a couple of songs. Then I didn’t. Then I just didn’t care. No idea how to write about music that I have no strong opinions about. 2/5

Pretty meh on this. Maybe a 2 star, I was hoping more here

абсолютно flavourless альбом. скучный, как будто на коленке школьники замастерили. talentless boring. просто white boys get to record something

++: Play to Win +: (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang), Penthouse and Pavement, Soul Warfare, The Height of the Fighting, We're Going to Life for a Very Long Time +-: Let's All Make a Bomb, Song with No Name -: Geisha Boys and Temple Girls 5,2/10

I don't hate it, I just wouldn't listen to it. Best electric / dance pop type record thus far, just not my music

A weird album that I think doesn’t need to be on here. A little catchy but why have it here when Kraftwerk is on the list?

I liked the message. But something about it was just too in your face and weird. It was like 80's music, mixed with a news commentator, mixed with spoken word.

In my early 20s New Wave had run its course and I was hunting around for new stuff to like. I loved Dare by The Human's League and naively thought this might be the way forward. But turns out I was mistaken, even though I was subsequently duped into buying The Luxury Gap in a forlorn attempt to stay relevant. And that's the honest truth.

Yeah I listened to this about 3 times over the course of yesterday and this morning I could not hum you a tune or even remember what the genre was. It was just noise to me for some reason.

I played this on college radio, back in the day, and remembered liking it. I remembered wrong. Groundbreaking use of electronics does not translate to a lasting work of enjoyable music. Saved from a single star by some message in the lyrics.

The opening "[We Don't Nee This] Fascist Groove Thang" is kinda cool but after that it's just generic lame 80's synth pop. Singer sounds like knock off version of David Bryne. The end of "We're Going To Live For A Very Long Time" feels like trolling with how repetitive it is.

Not unpleasant.

I never liked them growing up in the 80's (apart from Temptation, which is a great track). This album just reinforced my general distaste. Boring, monotonous, inconsequential bollocks. I did make it all the way through, so it's 2 stars!

This album felt like everything bad and stereotypical about 80s pop got tossed together and left to ferment. The synths are over the top, the production is glossy to the point of being plastic, and the vocals sound like they’re trying way too hard to be edgy or futuristic. There might be a few moments that hint at something interesting, but they get buried under layers of cheesy electronics and awkward funk rhythms. It’s the kind of album that makes you appreciate how far production has come since the 80s. In short, Penthouse and Pavement just isn’t for me. It’s a product of its time in the worst way possible, and by the end I was ready to move on to something with a little less artificial polish.

It's a curious cover, looking like the front of a Readers Digest novel (or something of that ilk). It's just so very misplaced for a pop record. It screams "Don't buy me, I'm so uncool, go spend your money elsewhere". The music? - oh yeah - that's equally naff, being second rate electro pop.

Im surè these guys have done a song I like. I did not like this.

At best this is a footnote to the dawn of the synth pop era. It holds a certain nostalgic charm for me but otherwise it's lucky to make the list

This makes me think of that time I went on a gay pride march in the nineties. I find the singing too dour. The jangly synths are quite fun. I expect the London Philharmonic Orchestra has had a good at these.

Interesting to read up on the backstory of Ware & Marsh transitioning from Human League to BEF/Heaven 17, and the Pavement/Penthouse sides concept, but that's as far as it went, I found the album itself quite dated and lyrics cliché.

Sucks!

I didn’t hate this, but didn’t really like it much either. Just not my thing.

Meh!

Quintessential 80's movie music.

# 586 : Penthouse and Pavement Penthouse and Pavement – Basslines in a Sea of Beige Two stars for effort, and maybe half a star for getting my foot tapping once or twice. But over an hour of long-winded '80s synth pop? That’s a lot of neon for not much payoff. This album feels like being trapped in a lift with a malfunctioning Casio keyboard and a guy who insists “this was groundbreaking, mate.” There’s some sick bass playing throughout, especially on the title track, which almost tricks you into thinking the album might be good. But then the rest happens. The sound hasn’t aged gracefully, and the songwriting is hit or miss—mostly miss. It’s not awful, but it’s not good either. Kind of like being handed a warm beer and told it’s “craft.” Thanks for letting me hear it, but I can live without it, thank you very much. Best Track (if you must): Geisha Boys and Temple Girls – like a synth-pop fever dream where the bass player showed up and everyone else phoned it in. Verdict: ★★ for the bass. File under “albums that peaked at the rhythm section.”

2/5 one or two ok songs and a lot of stuff i'd expect to hear in the waiting room of a dentist

I guess in 1981 this was pretty cutting edge and set the template for the rest of the decade as all the eighties cliches are are here. i like the vocals and the sentiment of Fascist Groove Thing but rest of songs are pretty forgettable.

Dated rubbish. Sounds like a couple of teenagers and a casio keyboard. Not as good as Human League, OMD, Kraftwerk or the like. One extra star purely for the Fascist Groove Thang, which is ok and has been sampled successfully elsewhere, and has a good message.

This one had it's moments, but ultimately I was ready to be done with it. Didn't feel like I listened to anything at all, really. The production or songwriting felt like it was missing something entirely and the singers voice was subpar. 2-3 range.

Unremarkable 80s synthpop. I didn’t need to hear it before I die.

New Wave, which I usually like, but this was really annoying and too long.

I don't exactly like electro pop, but Heaven 17 is not really bad. Some of the songs, including the title track "Penthouse and Pavement" have some catchy melodies, so I can understand there was some audience for this kind of music. Needless to say most of the album is absolutely cheesy from today's view

2.5 - ok

it was nice, but there were only like 4 songs downloaded on spotify lol

Dat dit in deze lijst staat slaat echt he-le-maal nergens op wat mij betreft, maar positief bekeken is het geen totale kutmuziek die je complete wil om te leven doet verdampen. Alsof Robert Dimery een soort Tourette heeft, waarbij z'n tick is dat hij er af en toe een compleet willekeurig Brits album uit begin jaren '80 uitgooit. Eén van de twee kerels van deze band is ook oprichter van The Human League, en alleen een album van die band in deze lijst proppen was blijkbaar niet genoeg. We doen het er maar weer mee. Op de eerste misschien twee tracks na nietszeggend. Twee sterren.

This album started out actually pretty cool with the first two songs being pretty fun! And then OH GOD IT GOT SO MUCH WORSE WITH EVERY SUCCESSIVE SONG

Of all the 80’s albums, this is definitely one of them. There really isn’t much to write home about here, it’s inoffensive, but I feel like it just misses the mark.

Ugh. Too busy. Too dated. Too samey. Ended up listening to the first 10 seconds of.most songs and moving on.

80's synth pop, HEAVY on the 80's. This was a fun listen, but one that I don't think I'll be going back to much. Favorite track: Song With No Name

Devo with less virtuosity and more politics that don't interest me. This is a fine concept album with glossy funky side A juxtaposed with darker synth pop side B, and several of the songs come close to something, but it's never the whole package. Some temporary earworms, but nothing that I would describe as "good."

Det här musik jag har extremt svårt för. Musk å sång är too much. Överdrivet och spretande. Kan inte njuta. Det är inte vidrigt. Det är bara inte bra i mina öron. Skulle aldrig få för mig att sätta på sån här musik.

Preachy left wing logorrhea

You had me at English synth-pop.

Extremely 80s. And not in the good way.

Had its moments, there were shades of Talking Heads at times. Not my thing, though.

As New Wave as it gets. Unfortunately this is a less good version of the ABC album we heard a week ago.

Cool new wave style with some fun synth parts. I also appreciate the political lyrics on some of the songs. I’d like to like this more, but I didn’t connect with any of the songs here. Enjoyable (if dated) sound, but nothing too memorable. 2.5

Interesting and funky and serious at the same time... and not really my thing. It felt consistent with itself and explored within boundaries without daring too far away from the records defined sound, but it just isn't a sound that really grabbed me. I don't know if I'd listen again and I don't know if it really needs to be on this list.

Bad

Some fun moments, particularly the title track. Overall a tough listen and I won't be coming back.

Another band and of course another album of which I was unaware. It was "interesting", not something I would purchase but not bad.

Between a 2 and a 3. It's not the worst thing I've listened to, but it's not especially interesting either. Like off-brand Devo, it doesn't quite work as well as the good stuff. Very repetitive and by the second half I was ready for it to be done.

feels like if DEVO sucked

Very repetitive lyrics, not enough background music.

meh

Not my jam. At all

Stopped at Track 8. Wasn't feeling it. Interesting new wave sound but not catchy enough to draw me in.

A band that had all the best intentions, but failed to deliver anything remotely impactful. The music is pretty upright and dull, which sucks because the band clearly has a heart and a good message to get across. John Prine’s song “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven” came on this list a few days ago, and it’s a great example of something with more of a nuanced, interesting delivery. All the songs on Penthouse and Pavement read more like observations of current events with mild calls to action, and that’s all. “The Height Of Fighting” is my pick from this album. I wish for more, 2/5

mid asf

80s synth pop with poorly charting singles? To say I went in with low expectations is an understatement, but I was surprised and actually enjoyed the first few tracks. Unfortunately, it quickly went downhill from there. I’ll give it some points for the incredible bass playing on the first few tracks and the sadly still relevant lyrics throughout. Other than that, I really don’t understand why this is an album I needed to hear before I die.

Did I enjoy listening - not really Are there important aspects of early synthpop, maybe edgy lyrics, some reason for this to be here - not sure and don't really care

i really don’t care for this particular brand of 80s pop

alkoi kyllä aika miellekkäälllä tavalla pää lipui paikasta toiseen rytmissä mutta aika äkkiä laadukas musiikintuontanto lakkasi ja aika vitun outoa ja amatöörimaista musiikkia kuin 15-vuotta sitten "luovat" youtube-kanavat mahdollisesti koomiset sellaiset tekivät omassa makuuhuoneessaan ilman suurta tietämystä tai taitamusta mutta ei haittaa koska hassu vidio youtubessa voi hekottaa vaan heheh ja ehkä sanoa: this is actually so good... mutta ei oikeasti aktuaalisesti ole so good mutta parempi antaa kehuja koska aikaa käytti henkilö tähän paljon ja humoristinen paitsi tilanne ei ole se vaan tämä on osa 1001 albums you msut hear before you die. we dot need this facist cgoorve thing

Anyone want to go to the Rollerdome?

Ehh, it’s fine I guess. Generic, middle of the road, 80’s, synth heavy, new wave. It was not terrible, but I was underwhelmed, given the nature of this list. Certainly there’s better albums than this out there.

Rating: 5/10 Meh.

Not my thing at all

This did not age well. Never again.

This was rather mid, I got bored halfway through. Highlights: (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang

Boring

Nearly an hour and a half of this crap? Why??? FWIW, the second half of the album is better than the first; standout track: I’m Your Money.

Heaven 17 have that one good song, "Temptation", that is not on this album though... Excuse me, I just to go listen to that, so good. Anyways, this is an album you need to hear before you die? Well I guess I can stop doing chemo now, I'm done with life because of this album, its that bad.

...I suppose among all the music I don't care for at least some (this) are openly anti-fascist, so.... yay? Ok - this is pretty definitively terrible as well as unremarkable and I'm puzzled who paid what to get this album nobody has heard of on the list. Nobody bought it, and the hilarious wikipedia defence of it having been "regarded as an important outing" is literally only quoting some rando from AllMusic which is akin in importance and credibility to a 12 year old tone deaf kid with a hook for a hand saying "hey my mom was proud of my piano recital." Killer bass though which barely pulls it over the 1 star line... 3/10 2 stars.

Subpar new wave woke boogie music (but the boogie was solid and the bass line was groovy until it got repetitive)

This was a bit of a struggle. It's dated horribly and as the article explains, it wasn't even that popular in the first place.

Starts off pretty decently, but the second half of the album does away with real string instruments in favor of pure digital bloops and bleeps.

2/5. An interesting album full of electronic and funky songs with not very subtle messaging, which I don't disagree with. I think the songs on the first half are just far and above the songs on the second half. The first half had some soul and some strong instrumentation. Second half was an experiment, and although I do respect unknown ventures, this one didn't quite land and it is pretty clear to hear. I wanted to like it all the way through but most of the songs really do not stand on their own, which is unfortunate. It felt like maybe the lyricist should have written poems or a novel before making music for the most part. Best Song: Penthouse and Pavement, (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang, Play to Win

Did not leave an impression at all. Should be removed

What if the singer from Human League (in style of 'don't you want me baby') or Yazoo (move out don’t mess around) had joined early Depeche Mode before Martin Gore? This album is upbeat and fun - at least in places - but gets bogged down by its own repetitive sound. It has value as a time capsule reflecting early British new wave synth but not something I would regularly enjoy except as the soundtrack in Grand Theft Auto which I believe featured the 2nd song on the album. 2/5

2.4 3x on airplane to SFO for 2 and 3

Отшибленный и странный синтипоп

synth pop meio estranho né não é necessariamente ruim, mas tem uma sonoridade que eu achei meio estranha?? as letras são ok

Fuck sake.

"We got Depeche Mode at home"

eh 5/10

Synth-pop with a post-punk attitude. It was tolerable even if I didn't love it.

Thought this was a bit more enjoyable than a lot of the many similar-but-different English albums on the list so far, but “liked” is a strong word.

Nothing I'd ever heard before. Not bad, little campy at times. 2/5

Oh for schisms! Without this one this is what we could have expected from the Human League. At the time it was a more agit prop funky synth compared to the pure pop of HL. It was fun and good for dancing. Now it sounds so dated and rather immature.

“The Height of the Fighting (He-La-Hu)” sounds like they are doing a parody of whatever this is. I say “whatever this is” because a lot of this album sounded more like weird proto-techno/post-disco than what I think of as synth-pop. Genre quibbles aside, this was faux laser beam sound-filled noise that I did not enjoy. After repeated listens, I can confidently say that - of all the albums ever made - this is without a doubt one of them. I’d just like to give a shout out to Robert Dimery. Apart from a few compilations and at least one soundtrack, basically all the albums featured in “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die” are, in fact, albums. I have not come across a single entry like “A can of tuna I found in my pantry that I’m not sure how it got there” or “A sunset I saw once when I was eight” or “Slacks”. Essentially every album featured in this book is an album. Great job bud.

Bass playing is top notch, but songcraft is poor and everything sounds so thin. 2.5 rounded down.

Electro pop?! Sounds weird bit

i can get behind the hating fascists part but the music is kinda ass, like it lacks this energy to it i dont fuckin know

Love the spirit, not really my jam

Classic '80s sound with lots of synthesizers but this album falls short.

normalito, olvidable

Nogle enkelte solide numre (den sidste, den første, Let's All Make a Bomb), men syntes generelt det lød ret primitivt. Det lød lidt som synthpop fra 70'erne

Tough sledding.

Bore me, please.

Had promise, but really tailed off as the album wore on. Nothing I would ever return to. 1.5/5

The songs do have a nice creative touch but they all kind of merge into the same song, Personally not for me

Not bad but not great.

Cool cover but didn’t bit the market

I thought I hadn’t heard of Heaven 17 before, but they apparently also sang Temptation (you know, that Cradle Of Filth song). Unfortunately, that banger isn’t on this album. I found this a bit of a difficult listen. It’s very synthy and has a big 80’s feel, but it’s also really weirdly orchestrated. Perhaps on a different day I’d have listened to this and loved it, but with today’s ears it fell a little flat. Also, these song names would fit right in on a punk album.

I’m just not a fan of the whole 80s synth pop era (there are exceptions but this ain’t one of them) and this is one of the worst forms of the genre, I didn’t hate it but it’s just not my thing, the lyrics are hilarious though.

It’s ok but not really for me. Probably better to dance to than listen to on its own. Those hooks were very repetitive. let’s all make a bomb was the standout of the bunch for me. If you like Human League but arguably a bit edgier this might suit. Won’t be chasing this one down though.

You have disturbed me almost to the point of insanity...There. I am insane now.

A very 80s, dancey, slightly risqué album that often sounded like a precursor to some of the big 80s bands. Probably set some tones for the decade to come. I didn't particularly like those tones though.

*eye roll* This album was more annoying than anything else. There are far more superior synth pop album than this.

Ahhh, there’s something about the deep throated singing of British 80sNew Wave that irritates me on a deep level. There’s something neat mixing of disco and synth here and some nice bass work on the second last track, but overall an effort that leaves me asking : “Someone took up precious studio time for that?!”

Some hold decent funky, bass slapin, beboppin’ at the start of album. The last half was a disaster of early ‘80s cliche synth

I like how funky the first two songs are, and the bit about the Democrats being out of power and Reagan being the facist god elect hits a little too close to home in these times, but this album starts falling apart from there for me. The third song sounds like the group just learned what a synthesizer was and every 4 bars they pick a different sound to play. It's very distracting and dissonant. The best song here is the title track, but the rest is repetative, too busy, and not enough of the bassist who is clearly the most talented one in the group.

Not really a fan, none of it really hit me in a way that I think good music should. No concrete reasons just a gut feeling.

Didn't hate it. Probably a 2.5. Rounded down because it doesn't really belong on this list.

Only one good song

thankfully it’s only 38 minutes

Nah, sorry. I don't hate it but I can't say I enjoyed it much. I find the synths a bit atonal. It all feels dated (and not in a good way as can sometimes be the case)

Electronic, fine for background

This is another that's fun, but I can't really see myself coming back to it. It was a good time though

OK-ish.

Heaven 17's "Penthouse and Pavement" can best be described as having a flat sound, which is somewhat ironic considering the multitude of sounds and instruments featured throughout on the album. I anticipated the use of newer technologies would result in a richer sound experience, similar to what was achieved by peers like The Human League, Ultravox, or OMD. Instead, "Penthouse and Pavement" gives the impression that its musical layers have been compressed into a monotonous and unengaging sound by a steamroller. The album appears to be divided into two distinct sections: the first side is marked by synth-heavy R&B and funky riffs, while the second side leans more towards electronic synth sounds. Although I enjoy the 80s New Wave music scene, this album lacks a crucial element — memorable pop hooks that inspire to sing along, encourage movement and dance, or just make you want to listen over and over. While there are a few interesting moments on this album, there are many finer examples of 80s New Wave and Synth Pop out there to enjoy. I would not waste your time on this album.

Thoughts before listening: I have never heard of this before. I am going to guess its some sort of British new wave band that didn't really breakthrough in the US. Chances are I will recognize 1 or 2 songs, but this album cover is not ringing a bell. Review: This is definitely interesting. The album starts out less new wave and more of like a disco/funk sound full of slap bass and horn lines with very repetitive singing on top, reminding me a bit of Talking Heads. I like this sound, and its certainly different than what I was expecting. The second half of the album is less appealing to me, coming off as rather generic sounding new wave music. The first half of the album is probably a 3-star rating from me, but overall this is 2-stars thanks to the second half.

A synthpop group from Sheffield (once home to a number of historically important nightclubs in the early dance music scene of the 1980s) that takes their name from a fictional pop band mentioned in Anthony Burgess's dystopian novel A Clockwork Orange. What about the music (?) you ask. OK, OK, don't rush me! Well, the music heard on 'Penthouse and Pavement' no doubt sounded like the future in 1981 to a bunch of forward thinking creatively hungry young people looking with excitement to the lives that lay ahead for them as they swayed to the new wave that was them as much as it was the music that was playing at nightclubs all over the west end & beyond. It's icy and unconventionally slick, it's hot & it's cold it probably sounded like it would age well when it first came out and while it's not timeless in any regard, it's still fun and makes me want to reread 1984- God knows why. So, to recap interesting electronic music not as good as The Human League but better than Alphaville which I suppose is faint praise. To me in 2025 this music ultimately doesn't do much. It's not bad and I get the appeal as I tap my foot to the nervous stop and go beat of 'The Height of the Fighting' but I can't really imagine playing it again nor do I find myself curious about their other albums that I'm assuming sound pretty much like this one. The cover art is likely an ironic poke at their own left leaning politics and looks like what the music would look like if the music within had a look - which sorta does to me - if that makes any sense. So, in conclusion this music (interesting as it is at times) is just not for me, but I don't hate it & no doubt will get and keep people moving all summer at various Hollywood retro nightclubs. Hot August nights, anyone?

I love the album cover and was disappointed to realize this wasn't a collab between Pavement and a group named Penthouse, which would have been so much more interesting... never liked that 80's electronic pop which peaked with Human League.

Oh well I admire the dance punk weirdness but I just didnt get anything out of this one

An inferior version of other things we've done that sound like this, and it's very dated.

Pretty forgettable, even the first track. To be fair, I'm pretty sure Spotify only brought me a truncated version of the album.

Like the band but not this album.

Meh

Heard some Heaven 17 songs before. I really like (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang from this album. But the rest is? Eh really unimpressive. 2/5

This album was just ok for me. I am not a big fan of synth-pop and while there was nothing objectionable here, it is not something I would seek out to listen to again.

Extremely dated. There are some cool ideas in here but the execution falls short most of the time especially because the production isn't up to par with what I think they wanted to achieve, and the singing is just not that good. I did like "Penthouse and Pavement" and "Soul Warfare" enough to save them though so that's something.

Pretty forgettable. At least it was short. 2/5 Won’t listen again

2 st

I can understand the influential nature of the album but not a big fan.

Did nothing for me. I imagine it hasn't aged well.

The two highlights of this album were “Temptation” and a song by Blancmange which both autoplayed before I realised the album had finished. Enough said. Very of its time and won’t be getting another listen from me.

That's not my taste in music - boring

The problem is that I cannot imagine anyone enjoying this record. It's new wave with the edges sandblasted down, it has left-wing lyrics packaged with such a glossy sheen they slide right over you.

falco dove sei?

Fascist Groove Thang // The Height Of The Fighting //

Album 706 of 1001 Heaven 17 - Penthouse And Pavement (1981) Rating : 2.5 / 5 Synth-Pop two days in a row. Strange. Better than most of the other electronica I've heard but still just doesn't hit too hard for me. A lot of political related lyrics but it would take a closer listen to decide if that made any difference.

Not for me

Not the worst but still mediocre 80s British nonsense. Vocals, as usual, are a weak point. Some unique synth which may have been groundbreaking at the time. How many examples do we need of this same genre? 4.25/10 (2.125/5)

The best musician in the band is the bass player who's not even a full time member of the band. The lyrics are OK but the music is definitely dated. Just meh.

1.5

felt like every song was repeating itself, boots and cats and boots and cats

Another album that has no business being on this list. This wasn't even the best album recorded in its studio, as the Human League was recording Dare simultaneously. And even Dare was average at best.

Más synth-pop británico de los 80, pues qué bien. Parece que el editor desconoce la existencia de otros países. Al menos las letras son interesantes, muy anticapitalistas.